


Tales as Old as Time

by LizAnn_5869



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Doctor Who Mr. Men Books in Pete’s World, F/M, Mysterious bookshop, Mysterious bookshop owner, Mystery, Post-Episode: The Day of the Doctor, Tentoo and Rose get a major surprise, The Doctor comes to grips with his past, The Twelfth Doctor makes an appearance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-06
Updated: 2018-07-08
Packaged: 2019-05-17 11:27:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,387
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14831406
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LizAnn_5869/pseuds/LizAnn_5869
Summary: Rose goes into a charming, (bigger on the inside) bookshop expecting to buy Tony some books for his birthday.  What she discovers there could change the Doctor’s life.





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> This story got its start in a conversation I between Hanluvr and me, speculating what would happen if the Doctor Who Mr. Men books showed up in Pete’s World. I wrote some notes down, and finally I got around to starting in April. As always, I’d like to thank Rose—Nebula for reading this over!

Paperwork was the bane of Rose Tyler’s existence.  Lately, she seemed to spend more time at her laptop than out in the field, which rankled her just a bit. (She imagined that the need for another holiday with the Doctor also played into her frustration.)

 

She was about halfway through yet another report when her mobile played the Doctor’s ringtone.  She smiled and picked it up. 

 

“Hello, Rose Tyler! Ready for some lunch and shopping?”

 

Rose chuckled, “Never thought I’d hear the words  _ and shopping _ come from your mouth!”

 

“Shopping is a tad more...appealing now.  That’s the Donna part of me I guess. The Doctor part of me finds it appalling.  Appealing and appalling all at the same time.” He seemed rather pleased with his turn of phrase.  

 

Rose smiled fondly.  She loved hearing from him during the work day.  She had her office, and he had his lab, and for the most part they were both happy in their jobs.  The Doctor worked mainly for TARDIS parts. 

 

“Well, I’m definitely ready to get out of the office for while.  I’ve typed the same sentence three times. My eyes are crossin’.”

 

“I have about five more minutes of charging the Wakardian circuit, then I’ll be finished.  Are we shopping for Tony’s birthday, then?”

 

“Yeah.  I was thinkin’ some books from that new little bookshop, Timeless.”

 

“Perfect.  Tony might only be turning four but he’s definitely got an aptitude for reading.  Brilliant, just like his sister.” She could hear the smile in his voice.

 

“All right then, five more….”  Rose was interrupted by a shrill squeal followed by feedback.  The Doctor’s voice cut out, then she heard him clearly again. “Blimey, what happened…”

 

“Erm...Go on without me.  I’ll be there shortly. Something’s come up….I need to put out a fire.  Literally.” 

 

The connection cut off and Rose sat, stunned, waiting for the fire alarms to go off.  After a couple of minutes, nothing happened. She was about to call the Doctor back when he texted.

 

_ It’s out.  I have a bit of cleanup to do, however.  And I’ll need to fill out a requisition for a new Wakardian circuit, if there’s some available. _

 

Rose rolled her eyes and typed back,  _ Good thing there was a whole container on that ship.   _

 

_ Brilliant!  See you soon.  Go ahead and pick out a book.  Nothing too patronizing, though.  That child’s a genius. I’ll meet you at the cafe.   _

 

_ See you there, Doctor. xx _

 

Rose let out a sigh of relief.  He hadn’t destroyed the lab, or so it seemed.  It was a lucky thing Pete was accepting of his laboratory mishaps.   Rose shut down the laptop and gathered her purse. It was a lovely, sunny day, and she was looking forward to the walk and eating outside with the Doctor.

 

*****

Rose made her way down the street, enjoying the comfortable temperature and sunlight shining.  The weather put her in a good mood. It had been a long winter of staying inside and figuring out how they were going to make this new life of theirs work.  He’d been very resistant to working at Torchwood at first, until Pete had made it clear that the Doctor would not have to carry a gun, and that he could be in charge of a laboratory.  He could use the lab to help build the new TARDIS. The Doctor saw the possibilities that could give him and he had agreed to be a consultant. Now that spring had arrived, she finally felt like they were settling into a groove together.  It felt wonderful. She lived for days like this, when they could enjoy each other’s company at lunch. 

 

The bookstore was small, wedged in between a pharmacy and a news stand.  The building looked new but the bookshop had the aura of a place that had been there for decades.  It had an inviting, bright blue front door. 

 

She opened the door and smiled at the ringing bell over it.  The elderly lady behind the counter smiled and waved. 

 

“Hello, Rose!”  she called out brightly.  

 

Rose had only been in Timeless once before, so she was impressed that the proprietor remembered her name.  She recalled their conversation from her previous visit.

 

_ “Ah, we’re both flowers, then,”.  _ the lady had said. 

 

_ Camellia  _ was her name, Rose remembered.  “ _ I’m a pretty common flower.  Your name is gorgeous,”  _ she had told the proprietor.

 

“ _ You’re anything but common, Rose Tyler, “  _ Camellia had said before Rose smiled and  wandered off to look at a display. She’d been browsing a set of JK Rowling’s Marauders book series when it had occurred to her that she’d never said her last name.  But a sudden influx of customers had prevented her from asking, so she let it go.

 

“Looking for anything in particular on this gorgeous day?” Camellia asked, bringing Rose back to the present.

 

“My little brother has just started reading and he’s turning four next week!  He’s pretty brilliant,” Rose boasted proudly. 

 

Camellia clapped her hands together, grinning widely.  “Well, you have to encourage that! There’s a wonderful selection of new reader books on the third shelf, at the bottom, past the travel guides two stacks over.”

 

Rose chuckled.  Camellia’s directions reminded her of the convoluted route her first Doctor had told her to find the wardrobe on the TARDIS.  She wandered through the shop, taking note of some travel guides. She’d keep those in mind for later, when they decided to take a holiday.   _ Those books are fun to read, even if he’ll likely throw it out of the car window when we’re traveling,  _ she mused.  She pulled a book about Wales from the shelf and idly thumbed through it.  She was lost in a section about the history of Cardiff when the bell rang again.  She peeked around the stack to see a woman coming in. Apparently the Doctor was still busy.  Refocused on her task, Rose left the Cardiff book on the shelf and searched for the children’s section.  Looking around to get her bearings, she realized that this shop and the TARDIS had something in common.

 

Timeless appeared to be bigger on the inside, and Rose wondered if that wasn’t a huge part of the appeal.  It had 2 levels, with wall to wall book-filled shelves. It smelled of fresh paint and old books. The sign on the wrought iron stair railing read “Your new favorites” pointing towards the lower level.  An arrow pointed up for “vintage favorites and preowned delights.” Rose smiled at the sign and began to make her way back to the children’s section. 

 

The woman had beaten her to it.  She was already pulling small, square brightly colored books off the shelf.  “Oh, good! I love these!” the customer laughed. 

 

“Just got some new ones in,” Camellia called back.  “You might be particularly interested in them, Rose.”

 

Rose joined the woman at the shelves, looking over her shoulder to see the title of the book.

 

She couldn’t have been more shocked by the sight.

 

At first glance, the book seemed innocuous enough.  It looked like a little book Pete had bought her shortly after she was born. Her mother read it to her constantly, always telling her that it was a gift from her daddy.  “And how I wish you could have heard him read it to you,” Jackie would always sigh. Rose carried the little book around everywhere, and her Nana had started calling her “Little Miss Sunshine” after the main character.

 

The book the woman was holding was drawn in the same style.  The cover illustration showed a simple oval, colored blue, with eyes and a little round, yellow nose.  The hair was short and dark, and it wore little boots and held an odd, cylindrical shaped object in its’ hand.  

 

Well, the cylinder would have been odd to anyone else but Rose and the Doctor, because it was clearly holding a little sonic screwdriver with a blue light.  “Doctor Ninth,” Rose gasped, noticing the title. “‘Scuse me, may I see that?” 

 

“Sure,” the lady said.  “That’s not the one I needed anyway.”

 

“Don’t skip that one, I’m sure it’s fantastic,” she murmured, accepting the book with shaking hands.  She opened the cover, and was further shocked to see a little blonde character called Rose, who worked in a shop.  “Blimey. Are there others?”

 

The woman was looking at her oddly.  “Well, yes. There’s thirteen books about these Doctor people. They’re darling.”

 

Rose nodded mutely and turned the page of the book to reveal a little character wearing a captain’s hat.  Jack’s little smirk was so familiar, it brought tears to her eyes. “There’s thirteen? About this character?”

 

“No, there’s other Doctors,” the lady said cautiously.  Rose realized she didn’t look half daft crying over the book.  “Right there...oh, there’s the one I was missing….” She snagged a book from the shelf and backed away from Rose.  

 

Rose sat down in the floor in front of the shelf and began to thumb through the books.  One caught her eye immediately. A little triangular character, colored in olive green and wearing a tie immediately caught her attention.   _ Doctor Tenth _ , it said.  It had spiky hair and tiny trainers.  There was no mistaking him. “Oh,” she breathed.  She opened it and saw Doctor Tenth in an adventure with Sontarans, an alien race that she’d not yet met in either universes.  From what her Doctor told her, she wasn’t missing anything. It broke her heart a little to see that the little Doctor was alone.  Which was ridiculous, if she really thought about it. It was just a book, a made up story... _ Wait, who made up the story? _  She closed the book and flipped it over to the cover.  There was no author’s name listed there, or on the spine. A quick check of  _ Doctor Ninth  _ showed the same thing.   Turning it to the back, Rose saw “Arcadia Publishing House” listed on the corner.  She’d never heard of it.

 

Rose began to flip through the shelf.  She found Doctors One through Eight, pausing to quickly scan the covers for an author.  She could find none. Glancing at the shelf, she saw a different book with Doctor Tenth wearing a little Santa hat.  She smiled and removed it from the shelf. Inside she was pleased to note that the Doctor wasn’t alone. He was accompanied by a comically grumpy Donna.  Rose shook her head in amazement. 

 

Moving the Christmas book to her ever growing pile, Rose noticed that two other books remained on the shelf.  With a shaking hand, she picked them up, gazing at a blue oval character wearing a bow tie and fez, and rectangular Doctor with sunglasses and wild gray hair.   _ Doctor Eleventh  _ and  _ Doctor Twelfth. _

 

Rose’s eyes had already been stinging with tears as she looked through the books, but holding books about unfamiliar, future incarnations of her Doctor made the tears bloom and fall.  

 

The sound of her mobile buzzing startled her.  She was relieved it was a text, because she knew she wouldn’t be able to hide her emotions if she had to talk to the Doctor.  

 

_ Looks like I’ll meet you at the cafe.  The cleanup has been a bit extensive.  _

 

He followed this text with a picture of an unidentifiable lump of blackened plastic.  Rose couldn’t help but chuckle. She texted back,  _ That’s fine.  I’ll meet you there.  I’m about to leave the shop. _

 

_ Did you find anything interesting? _

 

Rose looked at the stack of books.  How could she ever begin to explain the sight in front of her?  She typed,  _ You could say that. _

 

_ Sounds intriguing!  I’ll be there soon….after I clean up.  And find the requisition form for the new circuit, which I shall slip into Pete’s mail at the end of the day, after he’s gone home. _

 

Rose rolled her eyes.   _ Good luck with that.  See you in a bit. xx  _

 

With that, she gathered the stack of thirteen little picture books and made her way to the front of the store where Camellia sat at the register, sipping tea.  Rose saw another cup sitting on the counter. “You looked as though you could use a cuppa,” Camellia told her. “My previous customer told me you were upset.”

 

“I don’t know what to say, to be honest,” Rose admitted.  Camellia indicated that Rose should have some tea, and Rose picked up the blue china cup. It was a bit disconcerting to observe that her tea was already made just the way she liked.  She was immediately on guard.

 

“It’s perfectly safe, dear,” Camellia said with a wry smile, nodding at the cup.  

 

“Oh...I didn’t think it wasn’t,” Rose explained, lying through her teeth.  That had been the second thought that crossed her mind. She set the cup back down without drinking. “I need to talk to you about these books.  But….I reckon I’d better show them to….”

 

“Ah, Yes.  Bring him in when you do.  I’d love to talk to both of you.”

 

Rose opened her purse, digging out her wallet.  She handed Camellia her credit card. “I’ll take them all.”

 

“Just take them, dearie,” Camellia said, waving off her card.  “Consider them a gift.”

 

Rose shook her head.  “I can’t do that. Please...this is a large purchase, and it’ll help keep my favorite bookshop open.  Please.” Camellia gave her a small smile and swiped her card. 

 

“We’ll be back,” Rose promised as she took her bag of books.  

 

“I’ll be looking forward to it,” she heard Camellia call as she hurried out of the store.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Two will post on Friday, June 15.


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor meets the mysterious Camellia and the mystery deepens.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks always to Rose—Nebula!

Rose ordered two baskets of fish and chips and carried them to an outdoor table facing the Torchwood building.  Her mind was reeling. She pulled the stack of books out of the bag and began to sort through them. Opening _Doctor Fourth_ , she was greeted with sight of an oddly shaped orange character with wavy hair and a very long scarf.  Rose smiled. She remembered that scarf, wrapped several times around a dressmaker’s dummy in the TARDIS wardrobe room.  Turning the page, she saw that Doctor Fourth’s friend was Sarah Jane. _How could this be?  It’s not just me and Donna and Jack, it’s Sarah Jane too? And...bloody hell.  It’s a Dalek. A Dalek named Dale._ Rose began to laugh uncontrollably at that revelation.  She couldn’t help it. She also couldn’t help the slightly hysterical quality of her laughter.  

 

Rose took a deep breath to calm herself, putting down that particular book.  The Eleventh book was on top of the pile, and she choked up at the sight. Two Doctors that she’d never met.  Two more regenerations.

 

“Got the chips, I see!  Nothing’s better after nearly blowing up your lab…..Rose, are you crying?”

 

Rose hadn’t heard the Doctor approaching.  She gazed up at him through tear-swollen eyes.  He was slightly singed from his earlier mishap, which would have been amusing had she not been so upset.  He sank down into the chair opposite hers and pulled her into an embrace. “Love, what’s wrong? Are you hurt?  Did something happen at the bookshop?”

 

“No, I’m not hurt, and yeah, something happened,” Rose snuffled into his neck.   She took a steadying breath and murmured, “Look at the books.”

 

“You’re upset by books for Tony?” the Doctor asked, carefully pulling away from Rose.  He picked the top one up ( _Doctor Eleventh)_ and examined the cover.  His expression was inscrutable as he put that one down, then picked up _Doctor Fourth._ He thumbed through a couple of pages, his eyes widening at the illustrations.

 

“How...how are these possible?” he murmured.  “These are from that Timeless place?”

 

Rose nodded.

 

He shuffled through the books, shaking his head.  Picking up the _Doctor Twelfth_ book he asserted,  “Well, this one is ridiculous.  It’s impossible.”

 

“Oh, just _that_ one?” Rose asked with a hint of a smile.

 

The Doctor didn’t see the humor in it.  “No, it’s all ridiculous, of course! But...this Eleventh one is my last regeneration.  There shouldn’t be any more after that. This one shouldn’t exist. I count as a regeneration, so that means he’s at least one down.  And then there’s…”

 

“Who?”

 

The Doctor shook his head, tight lipped, as if he was about to reveal some information and he had thought better of it.  “No, it’s just that the math doesn’t add up. None of it adds up. Who wrote these?”

 

“There’s no author listed.  Only a publishing company.” Rose flipped a book over, pointing it out.  “Arcadia Publishing House. Have you ever heard of it?”

 

“I’ve heard of Arcadia.  Not as a publishing house, though.  It’s Gallifrey’s second city.”

 

“Oh, Doctor,” Rose sighed, taking his hand.  

 

“I was there when it fell,” The Doctor murmured. He squeezed his eyes shut for a few seconds.  Rose wanted to reach out to him, to comfort him, but she sensed his telepathic barriers were being reinforced.  There would be no sharing this memory. She felt a bit useless, only being able to offer physical comfort at the moment, but eventually he squeezed her hand and opened his eyes.  “Maybe someday...but I’m just not ready to relive all that. I just can’t.”

 

“I’m not gonna make you. Whenever you’re ready, I’m here,” she murmured. He cupped her cheek gently and kissed her.

 

“I know.  Better with two,” he said with a smile.  “What’s going on with these things, I wonder.”  He began shuffling though them, looking at the covers.  He mumbled, “Where’s the celery?” upon seeing _Doctor Fifth._ Rose raised an eyebrow.  “It’s an excellent poison detector.  Well, only really the one time. And I realized I was poisoned before it turned purple, anyway.”  He realized by the blank look Rose was giving him that he was babbling again. He found the _Doctor Tenth_ cover and stared at it. “Well, that hair is just rubbish.”

 

At that proclamation, Rose burst into laughter.  “No it’s not! I think that’s a really accurate representation of you.  All angles and spikes and little trainers. And he’s skinny.”

 

“Huh,” he huffed.  He opened the Christmas book and his breath caught.  “Donna Noble, pouring hot cocoa on an evil Christmas tree.  Look at that scowl.” He chuckled even as tears began to fall.  “Now there’s an accurate representation.” He touched the little Donna character’s face.  Rose rubbed his back soothingly, and he gave her a watery smile. “Well...seems as though we have quite the mystery.  What do you know about this new bookshop?”

 

“I first went into Timeless about three weeks ago, maybe?  You were home sick with that cold, so I was on my own for lunch.”

 

“Flu.  That was no cold.”

 

Rose smirked.  “Okay...anyway, it’s in a newly renovated building but the store feels like..it’s hard to describe.  Like the TARDIS. New and old all at the same time. It’s….”

 

“Timeless,” the Doctor completed her sentence.

 

Rose nodded.  “There was only one worker.  We exchanged a greeting...as far as I could tell I was the only customer….and she introduced herself.  Lovely lady, about 70, I’d reckon. Her name is Camellia. I made a comment about how we were both flower, but I was a more common flower than her.”

 

“There’s nothing common about you, Rose Tyler.”

 

Rose looked at him, wide-eyed.  “Doctor, that’s exactly what she said to me.  Exactly. I didn’t realized I hadn’t given her my last name until I was lookin’ at a display.  But by then, more customers had come in and I was running late so I never got to ask her about it.”

 

The Doctor was deep in thought, going over the implications of what Rose had just told him.  He looked down at the covers, taking in all the illustrations. Doctor Third had white hair and an opera cape.  The Second wore his hair in a Beatles cut, and he clutched a little recorder in his hand. “There are no Time Lords in this universe.  Other than me, and I’m not….”

 

“You’re the Doctor as much as any of these others are,”  Rose reminded him, and he smiled at her.

 

“We need to talk to that Camellia person.  I think Pete will understand if we’re getting back a tad late.   We might be dealing with a complicated event in space and time.” He stood up, and in the process he jostled the table.  The _Doctor Ninth_ story fell off and he deftly caught it.  Opening it up, he gazed at a few pages. “There you are, Rose Tyler.  All pink and yellow. And Jack as well. It was interesting how the illustrator managed to make a blue oval in a military hat look like the Captain of the Innuendo Squad with just a smirk,” the Doctor quipped to Rose’s amusement.  

 

They gathered the books and food and hurried down the street to the bookshop.  They stopped short at the door, which now had a closed sign on it. Rose expelled a huffy, frustrated breath.  The Doctor knocked on the blue frame. When no answer came, he looked back at Rose. “Give me some cover from curious eyes,” he mumbled.  Reaching inside his blue suit jacket, he withdrew his sonic screwdriver from the pocket. He winked at Rose and said, “Let’s see if that new wood setting works.”  Before he could test out his improvements, the door opened. Rose had to chuckle at his disappointed frown.

 

Camellia said kindly, “Come in.”  The Doctor and Rose entered the bookshop, now lit only by the early afternoon sun.  The Doctor looked around. Rose had been right. The room managed to look old and dusty, with crowded stacks, while being housed in a newly renovated room.  

 

“Are you not satisfied with your book purchase?”

 

Rose smiled, “We’re very satisfied, but also very confused.”

 

The Doctor barely heard their exchange.  For the longest time the TARDIS in the prime universe filled in a small part of the telepathic silence in his mind.  Some experimentation with Rose in this universe helped them to strengthen telepathic skills she’d gained from Bad Wolf.  The new little TARDIS helped fill in the emptiness as well. But now, he sensed another presence, right there in that room with them.  It waxed and waned, like music playing in another room with a door shut.

 

“We couldn’t help but notice how these books don’t have an author listed,” Rose pointed out.

 

“I handle a mixture of books from well-known authors,” Camellia told her, nodding towards the Marauders books.  “But I sell some new, independent authors trying to get a start as well.” She smiled.

 

Rose raised an eyebrow.  “Is that the case with these books?  And if you can’t tell me about the author, could you at least tell me about Arcadia Publishing House? Is it local, or….”

 

He held up a hand, indicating that Rose should stop talking.  She was about call him out for his rudeness but she saw the look of shock on his face.  “The subject of these books doesn’t exist in this universe at all. In fact, it’s impossible for them to exist at all,” the Doctor told Camellia.

 

“You exist in this universe.  Why can’t these books?” Camellia asked.

 

“Textbook enigmatic,” he mumbled.  “Don’t answer my question with a question.  Who is the author?”

 

“Yes,” Camellia answered with an amused smile.

 

Rose sensed the Doctor’s frustration.  She reached out to him with her mind, and her hand, interlinking her fingers with his.  She spoke to Camellia again. “If you know something about these, please tell us.”

 

“They’re fairy tales,” Camellia answered.  “Fairy tales of a man who ran across the stars.”

 

“Fairy tales of a man from a lost world,” the Doctor added.  “We know these aren’t fairy tales. Well, the man isn’t a fairy tale.  He’s real, and it’s impossible for….whoever this author is, and I think you know the author...it’s impossible for the author to know anything about him.”  The Doctor let go of Rose’s hand and stepped closer to Camellia. “I think you need to stop playing games and tell us what you know.”

 

Rose chimed in, “Please don’t put me off.  This is very important to both of us.”

 

_I’m sure it’s very important,_ a voice whispered in the Doctor’s mind, and his eyes widened.  

 

“I think you know already, Doctor.  You always were very quick to write off something...or someone...as impossible.”

 

“Well, this is,” the Doctor argued back.

 

“Oh, you and that word _impossible,_ ” Camellia laughed.  “Just because you believe it to be impossible doesn’t mean it’s true, does it, Ms. Tyler?  You’ve already proven that to him at least three times since you first knew him.” The Doctor and Rose gaped at her.  She smiled and went on, “We’ll have some tea. That’s the answer to all problems, isn’t it?” Camellia said with a smile, motioning them to follow her to the back of the store.  The Doctor didn’t move.

 

“Enough!” He said.  “Stop evading, and just answer!”  The Oncoming Storm flashed in his eyes but Camellia didn’t blink.

 

“You should never turn down tea.  It’s impolite, and that’s how wars start.  Or so you’ve told me,” Camellia smiled, beckoning them to follow her.  The Doctor glared at Rose, who followed her.

 

“What?  Apparently we’re not gettin’ answers until we have tea.  C’mon!”

 

Camellia moved briskly for a woman of her apparent age.  They followed her to the door in the back of the shop. Rose tugged at the the Doctor’s sleeve and nodded toward the bookshelves by the door, indicating the other copies of the Doctor books on the lower shelf.  

 

The Doctor couldn’t wrap his mind around it all. There sat multiple copies of the stories. _My stories. How does she know my faces and my stories?_

 

They entered the back room of the shop and the Doctor heard Rose’s gasp before he fully processed what he was seeing.  When he saw what caused her to react, his mind reeled. Hanging on the bulletin board...taped to the computer...written on sticky notes, just as he used to on the TARDIS and still did in his lab, were messages written in Circular Gallifreyan.  “Who are you?” The Doctor demanded, unable to keep the anger and desperation from his voice. “Who wrote these notes?” He gestured around the room, then ran his hand through his hair, making it stick up even more wildly than before.

 

“I think you already know, Doctor,” Camellia murmured.

 

Seeing the Doctor’s distress angered Rose and she clutched his hand soothingly.  “Enough,” she demanded. “You wrote them.” Rose took it as confirmation when Camellia only gazed her with her infuriating smile.  “Stop evading, please. We don’t understand and we aren’t in the mood for games. How did you find out about the Doctor’s faces?”

 

Instead of speaking, Camellia took their free hands in hers, and they stood in a small circle there in the cramped office. Rose was momentarily reminded of the seance with Dickens in a mortuary all those years ago.   _I love a happy medium,_ she could hear a Northern voice say, but then her own thoughts were overshadowed by barrage of telepathic images.  She felt the Doctor’s hand squeeze hers almost painfully, and then they were both immersed in the vision.

 

_An older man, with a monocle. A young woman…. the sight of her brought tears to the Doctor’s eyes.  A Scotsman in a kilt bickering with a dark haired man in plaid trousers…..a blonde woman following a man in a red velvet jacket….Shockingly, a young Sarah Jane Smith appeared with a Time Lord wearing a ridiculous scarf.  Then in quick succession, a blonde with celery on his lapel followed by another one in a technicolor coat. The images came even more quickly as they were given brief peeks of men that Rose realized were the faces of her beloved Doctor.  An older gentleman, looking careworn and exhausted, blinked into her mind, right before the face of her blue eyed Doctor. Rose gasped at the sight. They saw his double, and Donna, and the Doctor almost let go of Camellia’s hand to break the overwhelming connection.  Before he could he caught glimpses of a green eyed man with a big chin and another with wild, curly gray hair._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am on vacation, and while I have some time to write, and I’m shooting for next Friday to be update day, it may be a few days late. The story will be finished this month though!


	3. Chapter Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A mystery is resolved.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your patience! I really should have held off until after my vacation to start posting. At any rate, I hope your questions are answered about the mysterious bookshop. (And that you’re not too disappointed if your guess wasn’t correct...)   
> As always, many thanks to Rose—Nebula for reading and offering the best suggestions.

The Doctor dropped Camellia’s hand and pulled Rose away from her.  His eyes were wide, and he ran a hand through his hair, making it wilder than it had been in the aftermath of his lab experiment mishap.  “You...you’re Gallifreyan. You can’t be Gallifreyan. There are no people from Gallifrey left. I should know. I ended the Time War and Gallifrey.  Did you escape? Who…”

 

“Let her answer, Doctor,” Rose admonished him. 

 

The Doctor’s eyes narrowed.  “I do know you. I remember meeting a Time Lord historian, who lived and worked in the Citadel.  A man, then, though. In his seventh regeneration. Seems that recording the history of Gallifrey was a hazardous job,” he told Rose, “so he went through those first six regenerations rather quickly.  He was called the Storyteller.”

 

Camellia merely raised her eyebrow.  

 

“Wait, are you sayin’  _ she’s  _ the Storyteller?  You lot can do that?  Change from male to….”

 

The Doctor nodded.  “Yup. Regeneration’s a lottery, remember.”   He turned to Camellia. “You hit us with quite the barrage of memories.  This Is Your Life, Gallifreyan style, you might say. Are you the Storyteller?”

 

“You are correct, Doctor,” Camellia revealed, smiling.  

 

“How are you even alive?  Gallifrey is gone. I know I ended that planet and those people to save the rest of the universe.”

 

Instead of answering right away, Camellia poured the tea and indicated that they sit down in chairs drawn up to her desk.  The Doctor accepted his tea but sighed, frustrated. “The Storyteller I remember meeting wasn’t as irritating as you, I have to say,” he grumbled.  “Couldn’t stop talking, as I recall.”

 

“Times change, people change,” Camellia commented.  “You should know that better than most. I learned to keep my mouth shut when I needed to.”

 

“Didn’t keep you from writing children’s books about me,” The Doctor pointed out.

 

“Rest assured, you approved.  Or, at least another you did.”

 

“One that came after me, I suppose.  And there’s another question. Which one was it?  Your set of books include twelve Doctors. There shouldn’t have been one after that eleventh.”

 

“I believe I can answer both of your questions, Doctor.  They are related after all. Your mysterious extra regeneration and the fate of Gallifrey, that is,” Camellia told him.

 

“I’d be most appreciative if you would, at some point, answer me,” The Doctor growled.

 

Rose reached out to take his hand and give it a reassuring squeeze.  “We would like some answers. We have our tea, so there’s nothing stopping you.”

 

Camellia smiled.  “I could offer biscuits….”  Rose and the Doctor simultaneously raised an eyebrow.  “Or perhaps we can save that for later. Now, as for Gallifrey…..” She reached out and took his and Rose’s free hands and both were bombarded by the scene of a planet locked in a horrible battle.  Rose cringed at the sound of the Dalek’s belligerent screaming. She felt the Doctor shudder in horror. 

 

“The fall of Arcadia,” he murmured, aghast.  “No, no, I won’t subject Rose to….” He started to pull away from Rose, distance her from the terrors playing like a nightmare through their minds, but Rose held on more tightly, unwilling to let him face it alone. 

 

He’d never loved her more in his many long lives.

 

“Look,” Rose breathed.  In their minds they saw his double, standing side by side with an older, careworn man in a leather jacket and cravat, and another man in a suit and bow tie.  They all wielded sonic screwdrivers.

 

“That’s not how…..” the Doctor began.  

 

The scene shifted and they caught a glimpse of the interior of an old barn, a box with a rose shaped big red button.

 

And three TARDISes, presumably belonging to the men placing their hands over the button, together.  A brunette woman stood in the background, but her face was blurry, and the Doctor didn’t recognize her.  Another person was in the room as well, and the Doctor knew that couldn’t be true, knew that there was no possible explanation for the familiar blonde he saw.  Unless…. 

 

_ The Moment chose that form,  _ he thought.  He recalled there were rumors of it had developing a conscience, and apparently that conscience looked just like the woman he….

 

Camellia’s voice murmured over their connection, interrupting his thoughts.   _ She is so loved by you that she resonates through your past, present and future.  Is it any wonder, then, that she’d be there? _

 

_ She’s also in the room right here with you,  _ Rose thought, and the Doctor had to smirk a bit.

 

_ Forgive me,  _ Camellia apologized.

 

_ This isn’t what happened at all.  I was the old man, pressin’ that button alone.  No other regenerations were there. _

 

They were bombarded with a vision of thirteen TARDISes, an explosion, and silence in space.

 

“You did _not_ destroy Gallifrey,” Camellia told him, letting go of their hands.  “Gallifrey stands.”

 

There was silence, as the Doctor and Rose attempted to process this information.  Even with all of the Doctor’s impressive brain power, it was Rose who got there first.  The realization that the Doctor didn’t have to hold that guilt in his heart anymore, that the Doctor in the other universe was absolved, caused her to burst into joyous tears.  She turned to embrace him, but he stood like a stony faced statue, unbelieving.

 

“Doctor,” she gasped.  “You are free.”

 

He shook his head.  “You could tell me anything you made up.  You could be a...regeneration of the Master, for all I know….”

 

“Oh, Doctor.  Again, calling something impossible.  You really need to eradicate that word from your vocabulary,” Camellia sighed.  “I’m not the Master. Although, you’d be correct that they’re a woman now. The Mistress, I believe you told me.”  The Doctor gaped at this news, then slowly began to shake his head. 

 

Rose stepped in front of him, taking both of his hands.  “Doctor. I believe her,” she murmured. 

 

If there was anything the Doctor believed in, it was Rose Tyler.  That had never changed. If she believed, then…. 

 

His heart began to race, thinking of the implications.  “What did we do to make Gallifrey disappear? We had to have cloaked it, somehow?”

 

“It was locked away into a pocket universe, frozen in time,” Camellia told him somberly.

 

“How would..How would that even work?  I can’t imagine the High Council would agree to that, unless they had no choice,” he surmised.  “And if Gallifrey was pulled into a pocket universe, the Daleks fired on…..”

 

“Themselves!” Rose gasped.  “They obliterated themselves!”

 

The Doctor began to pace around the small room, ruffling his hair as he thought.  “Three of me. But three TARDISes wouldn’t be enough power to put Gallifrey anywhere.  Did we rewire the Moment?”

 

Then he heard it in his mind, a gruff Scottish voice saying, “ _ No, sir, all thirteen. _ ”

 

“All of me?  Past, present, and….”

 

“Future, yes,” Camellia answered.  

 

The Doctor spun on his heel to catch Camellia’s eye.  “And there’s that. Future. Counting all the regenerations...and I count, and so does that Warrior...then this one, who calls himself the Eleventh, should be the last.  That’s all, no more regenerations.”

 

Camellia smiled.  “The Doctor is known throughout the universe for all the people he’s helped.  Maybe someone thought he deserved another chance and intervened.” The Doctor gaped again. 

 

Rose stepped over to him and grasped his hand.  “That’s not hard for you to believe, is it? I’ve done it.  Why couldn’t someone else?”

 

“Who was it?” the Doctor asked.

 

“He told me he couldn’t remember,” Camellia responded.  “He knew it was a companion. I sensed that it was someone he’d lost recently, but he didn’t show me that.”

 

The Doctor sat down again, covering his eyes.  He sat there for a while, long enough for Rose to worry, then he sighed.  He ran his hands through his hair, making it even more disheveled. “I just don’t understand.  I knew the Storyteller, but we were acquaintances. How did I trust you enough to show you those things?  For you to have those memories….he had to have shared them telepathically. Please, give us some answers. We deserve them after all you’ve shown us.”

 

Camellia sipped her tea, deep in thought.  Rose rested her hand on the Doctor’s shoulder, feeling the tension.  He stirred, but before he could speak, Camellia finally told him, “On Gallifrey you knew me as Camelidlandorvelliavalorium.”  

 

“Yes, and I remember your name exhausted me so I just called you Cam.  This isn’t new to me,” The Doctor huffed, disgruntled.

 

“Well, it is to me,” Rose interjected.  “Go on, please.”

 

“I regenerated three times on Gallifrey after you and Arkytior stole your TARDIS.  After a while, keeping the history of the War and the planet became...a tad dangerous, you could say.  I did not keep my opinions a secret, which made me no friend of Rassilon, or the High Council. I regenerated, as a young man, unbeknownst to them.  It was my tenth body. I made an escape, and you inspired my plan.”

 

“You stole a TARDIS and ran away,” the Doctor deduced, finally cracking a small smile.  Rose chuckled, delighted. 

 

Camellia smirked as she took another sip of tea. “I chose to escape on the final day of the Time War.  I’d heard, of course, that you were on the planet, and I tried to locate you. Saw your message,  _ no more. _  I ran, then, took my TARDIS and left.  I hope you don’t think any less of me because I didn’t stay to fight.”

 

“At that point there was no more fighting left for anyone to do. I was going to end it all,” the Doctor murmured.

 

“I reckoned keeping the history was more important.  Although I didn’t know it at the time, the shockwaves the Daleks’ explosion created sent my own TARDIS off course, through the vortex.  I travelled for ages. I was unconscious for most of it so I’m not sure how long. When I finally landed, my TARDIS had taken me to twenty-first century earth.  England, as a matter of fact, in the prime universe.”

 

“You found the Doctor,” Rose said.

 

“I believe what happened was that my TARDIS locked onto his TARDIS and his brought mine there.  It wasn’t long before I found him, teaching in a university. He’d been there for quite a while,” Camellia revealed.  “In what he calls his twelfth incarnation, I believe. Although, trying to number all of you really is a lost cause, what with metacrises and warriors and all….”  Camellia chuckled. “At any rate, I appeared young enough to pass as a student so I attended one of his lectures. He loves to talk, that one.”

 

“No surprise there,” Rose smiled. The Doctor rolled his eyes.   “So….I assume he’s not ginger, judging from your  _ Doctor Twelfth  _ book _.” _

 

_ “ _ Yes. He’s taciturn, but also a bit of a rock star.  Plays the electric guitar, and he’s quite good at it,” Camellia revealed.  “He’s into wearable tech now. Sonic sunglasses.” The Doctor’s eyes widened.

 

“Well, I've always been a bit of a rock star,” he broke off as he caught Rose’s amused expression. “…..but I’m digressing.  How long was it before he realized who you were?”

 

That sent Camellia into a fit of laughter.  “I attended three lectures and he told me he’d recognized my telepathic signature the first day.  He didn’t know what to think at first. Wondered if I was a regeneration of Rassilon. But at some point, he decided I wasn’t Rassilon and he knew for certain I wasn’t the Master.  He sent his new companion to chat me up before he spoke to me. Her name’s Bill. Lovely girl. She brought me to his office and we finally talked. And talked….for days. He told me of you both.  He’s never forgotten either one of you. He thinks of you often, and he hopes you are happy.”

 

Rose smiled at the Doctor, taking his hand.  “We are. Very much so.” He smiled at her. 

 

“Don’t know what I’d do without her,” he murmured.  Rose kissed his hand. “Still. Doesn’t answer my question.  How did you get him to share those memories with you? And why did he give you permission to turn his...our...stories into...storybooks?  I don’t get it!” 

 

Camellia smiled at him.  “He is in a different place in his life than you are,” she explained.  “People change, you know.” Rose couldn’t help but chuckle at the mischievous glint in Camellia’s eye.  “He wanted to tell me. He only shared the stories with me, though. There are some things he still doesn’t want to share with his companion.”  She sighed. “I stayed with him for a fortnight. He helped me with some repairs to my ship. When we finally parted, he told me that if I shared his story, it should be with children.”

 

“I like that,” Rose whispered, tears glimmering on her lashes.  

 

“He said to dress the stories up a bit, because the true events would be too hard to believe.  Except for how he met Rose. He was adamant that I didn’t change that part of the story.”

 

“Most important moment in all my long lives,” the Doctor murmured.  He tugged Rose to him and she settled on his lap, leaning against him.  Camellia smiled at them approvingly. “How did you end up here, then? The walls between the universe should be closed.”  

 

“And they remain closed, for the most part, even though Gallifrey has been returned.  The High Council has become even more isolationist. They do not wish to allow travel between the universes.”

 

The Doctor snorted.  “High handed as always, I suppose.  Making decisions for the rest of the Multiverse.  Still doesn’t explain you, though.”

 

Camellia burst out laughing.  “Oh, I had a bit of a misadventure.  Bit of a wander, you might say. And a bit of a disagreement with some Ice Warriors.”  

 

The Doctor’s eyes widened.  He told Rose, “Oh, blimey. We didn’t meet up with any of them, but just trust me, they’re proper nasty.”

 

“I found myself needing to make a quick escape and due to the assistance you gave me with your TARDIS….”

 

“A hyperlocational telepathic transferance occurred!”  The Doctor jumped up, dislodging Rose from his lap. He grabbed her in time to keep her from falling to the floor.  “TARDIS to TARDIS.”

Camellia nodded, grinning widely.

 

“Oi, human here.  Explain, please?” 

 

“Her TARDIS has…”

 

“Had.  The weak spot I went through sealed.”

 

“At any rate, her TARDIS and his TARDIS had a link forged between the two. Temporary, activated in a time of crisis, but brilliant all the same.  The link took her to the weak spot in the wall between the universes. Because only another TARDIS would have the exact amount of dimensional pressure necessary, mine would have given hers a good hard shove through the weak spot.  It wouldn’t have been an easy trip, though.”

 

“Went through it like a bull in a china shop,” Camellia chuckled.  My ship was damaged, and so was I.”

 

“Was that when you regenerated again?”  Rose asked. Camellia nodded.

 

“Not long after I arrived.  And suddenly, I found myself making quite the change,” she revealed.  “Finally, on my eleventh body. Bit of shock, but I’ve adjusted. I’m on my last regeneration, as you might have guessed.”  She saw the sadness in both their eyes at this realization and added, “I’ve decided that in my dotage, I shall enjoy myself here, run my bookshop, and tell your stories.  If you’re not opposed.”

 

“Well, bit too late to be opposed.  It was a shock….but I do admit the idea is growing on me. Particularly if it’s directed towards children.”

 

“Can you figure out how I found you?” Camellia asked, but before the Doctor could answer, Rose spoke.

 

“I was wondering that, myself, but I think I know,” Rose interjected.

 

Camellia smiled at her, her blue eye sparkling, and she nodded for Rose to continue.  

 

“Your TARDIS found our little growing TARDIS,” Rose revealed.  “My guess is a telepathic link. There’s no way it’s a coincidence that your shop set up so close to where we work.  We’re in your TARDIS right now, aren’t we?” Camellia nodded.

 

The Doctor grinned proudly at his brilliant Rose.  “She’s always been this amazing,” he told Camellia.  He hopped up and began to walk around her small office, leaping upon her old, ratty sofa to touch the wall.  Rose was about to chide him for his feet on the furniture but she caught herself. He was staring in awe at the wall, his hand caressing it lovingly.  “This is brilliant, just brilliant.” He turned to Camellia. “But she was severely damaged, wasn’t she?”

 

“Yes.  It’ll be ages before she’ll fly again.  At least her chameleon circuit works.”

 

He hopped down, still caressing the wall.  “Never been too fussed about a working chameleon circuit, me.” He smiled back at Rose, who chuckled.  

 

“The Doctor intimated as much,” Camellia commented.  

 

“Is he well, then?  And...happy?” Rose asked.  Her cautious tone broke the Doctor’s heart a bit, and he squeezed her hand to let her know he didn’t feel threatened.  Rose smiled sadly at him.

 

“The Doctor has some project keeping him busy at the university,” Camellia said.  It didn’t escape either one of them that she didn’t answer the question. 

 

“But he’s not alone, right?  You said he had a companion,” Rose prompted.

 

“He has two.  Lovely Bill….and Nardole...who is very much his own person.  They challenge him and drive him insane.”

 

The Doctor laughed, “Well...sounds like they’re perfect for him.”

 

“Some of the students said he’s been teaching there for fifty years.  I don’t know whether I believe that, but one never knows with him.”

 

“Fifty years is a huge amount of time for him to stay put anywhere,” Rose commented.

 

“Timey-wimey stuff,” the Doctor muttered.  “Hopefully whatever he’s got going on won’t end the universe.”  The Doctor laughed ruefully. Rose put her head on his shoulder, sighing.

 

“It’s good to know that he’s not alone,” Rose murmured.  “That wouldn’t be good for him.”

 

“That’s why I’m glad I won’t be alone,” the Doctor told her, and Rose caught a hint of question in his expression.

 

“No, you won’t.”  

 

He broke into a wide smile at Rose’s assertion.  

 

Camellia beamed at both of them.  “His wish for the pair of you was for happiness.  He told me...well, could I show you?” She extended her hands as before and Rose immediately accepted.  The Doctor did as well. They stood in a circle there in the small office. At that moment, they could hear the hum of Camellia’s TARDIS.  

 

_ The first thing they noticed about the room was the large desk, cluttered with books and chalk and pens.  The Doctor was amused, and ever so slightly appalled, by the sonics haphazardly kept in a mug out in the open.  Anyone could see those, he mused.  _

 

_ He heard Rose breathe “Oh, hello, Old Girl,” and his attention was drawn to the TARDIS in the corner.  Suddenly he wasn’t as concerned about the sonics sitting out in the open.  _

 

_ They could hear voices, and finally they noticed him, dressed in plaid trousers and a holey jumper, sitting in an arm chair facing a young man dressed smartly in a suit. _

 

_ “I never quite got the hang of dressing the part of a uni student,” Camellia chuckled quietly. “Much better at doddering old book shop owner.” _

 

_ The Time Lord spoke, his rumbling Scottish voice filling the room, even as he spoke quietly.  It was easy for the Doctor and Rose to imagine him lecturing a room of students. “I hope they’re enjoying that TARDIS, of course, and that they’re happy.  But it’s their story now. I hope they’ve made it a good one.” _

 

_ “Would you ever travel to that universe if it was possible? If only just to check on them?” _

 

_ The Time Lord didn’t answer the question.  Instead, he smiled. His sad eyes told the truth, however.  Rose squeezed her Doctor’s hand at the sight of it. No matter what face he wore, she could read him.  And, surprisingly enough to her, she wasn’t upset by it. Of course, she sympathized with the Time Lord Doctor, as for herself, she was at peace. _

 

_ “It’s their story to tell now,” the Time Lord repeated softly. _

 

Camellia broke the connection then, dropping their hands.  She sat down, closing her eyes for a brief moment.

 

“Are you all right?” Rose asked.

 

“It takes a bit out of me,” Camellia confessed.  “I’m fine. The question is, are you?” She addressed the last to Rose.

 

Rose took a deep breath.  “It was the answer that I expected.  And do you know what? I know that it’s the way it should be.  I could see all of time and space, remember?” She caught the Doctor’s gaze.  “I think Bad Wolf arranged everything. And we’re all where we’re supposed to be.  And as painful as it was for him to leave us on that blasted beach, it was all meant to be.  This is our part of the story.”

 

The Doctor wrapped her in his embrace.  “You’re brilliant, you are, Rose Tyler.”  

 

They sat down with Camellia again, drinking their tea and eating more biscuits.  Finally, Camellia said mildly, “I suppose I could have sought out the pair of you.  After all, you might’ve passed this shop up without me ever meeting you.”

 

“We couldn’t pass up a shop like this, Camellia.  Named Timeless? You practically put out a Doctor and Rose welcome mat,” he laughed.  Camellia shrugged and smirked, confirming his suspicions. 

 

“He never would have believed you if you’d come to him,” Rose observed.  The Doctor’s eyebrow shot up and he opened his mouth to protest. She grinned back at him, tongue poking out.

 

“Would’ve gotten there eventually,” he muttered. He said to Camellia, “Your telepathic signature...and this place’s...would’ve given you away, so yes….but about everything else…”. He shook his head.  “I still can’t quite wrap my mind around it. Gallifrey stands.”

 

“In my experience it’s easy to accept guilt.  Absolution, however, can be a bit tougher, especially in a good man such as yourself.  Just as Rose told you, Doctor, you are free.”  She places a gentle hand on his arm. “Accept the gift you’ve been given.” He nodded silently, overwhelmed with emotion. Rose took his hand and leaned her head against his shoulder, feeling the sob shudder through his body.  He took a shaky breath and looked up at Camellia again, tears in his eyes.

 

“The children on Gallifrey went to bed, secure and safe that night.  Maybe their parents read them stories. Some of them you might have written.”

 

“I’d like to think so,” Camellia smiled.  

 

The Doctor beamed, his single human heart feeling lighter than he ever remembered it.  He left up, embracing Rose and Camellia. It was awkward as Camellia was still seated and he pulled Rose to his side suddenly, but it was infused with the hope of a man suddenly set free. 

 

*****

The Doctor had many more questions for Camellia, particularly how she came up with the storylines for all the books.  (As well as the illustrations. He still had his reservations about how his hair was portrayed in his two books. He was silenced when Rose pointed out that he was the only one who ended up with  _ two _ books.)

 

Camellia shared her original illustrations with them, and took them on a grand tour of her TARDIS bookshop, until they realized it was dark outside and they’d likely caused her a most of day’s loss of business.  They’d never made it back to work. Rose noticed a number of texts from her dad, wondering about the lab mishap. The Doctor was facing a mountain of paperwork and more cleanup, but he couldn’t be fussed to care.

 

Finally they were escorted to the blue door by Camellia, who looked tired but pleased.  Her guests had given her plenty of story ideas. “I look forward to more conversations with you both,” she said, beaming.  

 

“Same here,” the Doctor smiled, wrapping her into a hug.  Rose followed suit. 

 

“We’ll make a point of it.  You have to meet our little TARDIS!” Rose pointed out. 

 

“You are going to make a wonderful story.  The Doctor would be proud,” Camellia beamed.

 

With that, they took their leave of Camellia, walking down the street towards Torchwood hand in hand.  Rose swung the bag of books in her other hand. Abruptly he stopped, and pulled Rose to him, kissing her breathless.  When the kiss ebbed, she laughed, “What brought that on?”

 

The Doctor quite literally swept her off her feet, spinning her around in a bridal carry, heedless of the people on the busy London street.  He laughed, “Just joy, Rose Tyler. Just pure joy.”

 

******

The birthday party was a great success.  Tony took to his new books like a duck to water.  It wasn’t a surprise when he became obsessed with them. “He reads it constantly.  It’s drivin’ me barmy. And now he wants a trip on your TARDIS to meet some Zygoons or whatever….” Jackie complained one evening weeks later, when the Doctor and Rose had come to babysit. “And that’s just not happenin’!”

 

“Zygons!” He corrected, knowing that Jackie didn’t care. 

 

Jackie’s warning didn’t keep Tony from running around all evening with a sonic screwdriver made out of Legos, chasing Rose and the Doctor around the back garden.  

 

The night ended with Rose witnessing a sight that warmed her heart and made her fall in love, again, with her Doctor.  Tears filled her eyes as she watched him, curled up in bed with Tony, trading off reading pages. The Doctor patiently helped Tony with what he couldn’t read.  When they caught Rose watching, they invited her over to read with them. “Why’s Rose in this one,” Tony wondered, holding up  _ Doctor Ninth, “ _ and not these?” Rose exchanged a look with her Doctor.  

 

“Well, a while after that was when I came here with Mum and Dad,” Rose answered, not wishing to elaborate on the sadder parts of the story.  “The Doctor in that story was the first one I ever met. Grabbed my hand and told me to run, he did.”

 

“And we’ve been running together ever since,” the Doctor smiled.

 

“Oh,” Tony commented, yawning.  Clearly, he needed no further explanation.  “S’the best story ever.” He snuggled closer to them.  

 

The Doctor took over reading, and they made it through six books before Tony finally nodded off. 

 

******

Rose and the Doctor often spent time with Camellia after their first afternoon spent together.  She was welcomed into the Tylers as part of the family, becoming a sort of grandmother figure to the boy.  She surprised them at Christmas with a brand new book, about Rose and the Doctor in their new universe. They had a little assistant called Tony with them in the story, which delighted everyone.

 

They traded information about their respective TARDISes and while Camellia didn’t want to travel anymore, she was a veritable catalog of TARDIS information.  With her help, their TARDIS was ready quite a bit earlier than they had expected. 

 

On the eve of their first trip into space with their brilliant TARDIS. Rose and the Doctor tried to sleep but couldn’t.  Their minds were too full of the future. 

 

“Penny for ‘em,” the Doctor said.

 

“I’ve got so much goin’ through my head right now,” she answered, and he nodded, understanding completely.  “But mainly I’m thinkin’ about how lighthearted you seem lately. Don’t think I’ve ever seen that, even when you’re usually bounding around like a hyperactive puppy.”

 

The Doctor huffed, playing at being disgruntled.  It didn’t last long. He chuckled, giving Rose a squeeze.  “We’re going traveling, Rose. That story he wanted us to write?  A new chapter starts tomorrow. And guess what….” He kissed her soundly.

 

“What?” she asked breathlessly.

 

“A new chapter starts tomorrow!  And it’s gonna be fantastic!” 

 

And it was.  

 

**Author's Note:**

> I’d like to especially thank Rose—Nebula for helping me figure out how it worked for Camellia to end up in Pete’s World. Talking it through really helped! :)


End file.
